Improvement in air and gas engines



2 Sheets-Sheet 1. 0. TROSSIN.

Air and Gas Engines. No. 141,189,, PatentedJuly22,1873.

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Air and Gas Engines. I No. 141,189, Patentedluly 22,1873.

AM. PHOTO-LITHOGRAIHIG to N Y, (aseofiuzls PROCESS:

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIC'E.

OTTO TROSSIN, OF BERLIN, GERMANY.

IMPROVEMENT IN AIR AND GAS ENGINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 141.189, dated July 22,1873 application filed August 26, 1872.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, OTTo TRossIN, of Berlin,in the Kingdom of Prussia and Empire of Germany, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Hot-Air or Gas Engines, of which thefollowing is a specification: V

The object of my invention is to produce an engine whose motor is eitherhot air or gas; and my invention herein consists of areservoir-cyliuderfor the exhaust air made to inclose the air-supply pump, thedriving-shaft thereof, and to support at the end and outside of saidcylinder the piston-cylinder and valve-chest, the object and advantageswhereof is to place the air supply pump out of the way, and to envelopit with the same hot air which furnishes the motor, thereby utilizingthe hot-air reservoir to surround and keep the pump hot by the same airwhich supplies said pump, and to efl'ect the combination of the workingparts in a compact, effective, and economical mannerv in relation toeach other, the heater, and condenser; also, in the combination, with ahot-air or gas engine having an automatic air-supply pump, and anexhaustair inclosing reservoir, of a condensing-cylinder, provided witha coil of pipe, through which the exhaust air passes from theworking-piston cylinder to the reservoir, in order to be againcompressed for use; also, the combination with an air or gas reservoircylinder, wherein the air-supply pump and driving-shaft are inclosed,and which carries at its end the working-piston cylinder and the rotarycut-off valve, of the connected and driving devices which operate thesaid valve when inclosed within the air-reservoir, whereby greatcompactness is obtained and the cut-off valve gearing all inclosedwithin the air-supply reservoir.

111 the accompanying drawings, Figure 1, Sheet 1, represents ahorizontal central section of my improved hot-air engine. Fig. 2, Sheet2, represents a vertical central section of the same, the heater beingshown; and Fig. 3, Sheet 2, represents ahorizontal section through theworking-cylinder and the valve-chamber.

At one end of a cylindrical iron reservoir, D, the working-cylinder A ofthe hot-air or gas engine is secured. In this cylinder at piston, G,suitably packed, moves forward and back, its piston-rod 01 passingthrough the end of the cylinderAand the reservoir D, extending into thelatter, the opening in the end of the reservoir being closed air-tightby means of a metallic stufling-box, 6. An air-pump, B, is secured on asuitable frame on the inside of the reservoir, centrally in line withthe cylinder A. The piston-rod f of the piston g of this air-pump is acontinuation of the piston-rod d; and to these joint piston-rods d f ishinged one end of a square frame, '1, surrounding the airpump, and beingconnected at the other end with the crank-shaft U by means of a shortrod, .9, which operates the crank it. The piston g of the air-pump ispacked in the following manner: Its periphery is made so much smaherthan the inner side of the pump-cylinder B as to allow an India-rubberring, h, to be held on its periphery by means oftwo metal rings ortires, 1' i, one on each side, in such manner that the rubber ring mayform a bag between the two tires "i, the periphery of the piston, andthe inner side of the cylinder, thus leaving a free space, 8 on thecentral surt'aceof the periphery of the piston g, from which spacechannels j j, one on each side, lead to the sides of the piston. Theouter openings of these channels j are closed by India-rubber tubes 2!,which are surrounded by metal tubes ll, having openings at their outerends, and which tubes 1 are secured to the sides of the piston g. TheIndia-rubber tubes u, the channels j, and the free space around theperiphery of the piston are filled with any suitable liquid, so that,when the pressure of hot air or gas is exerted on the rubber tubeswithin the tubes 1, they are compressed, and the liquid is forcedthrough the channels j into the free space 8 around the piston, andforces the rubber ring h firmly against the inner periphery of thecylinder B, thus furnishing an air-tight automatic packing. At both endsthe cylinder B connects, by means of valves 00., with a pipe, m,

situated above the cylinder, and this pipe on connects with anothertube, 0, leading through the side of the reservoir D upwardly into theheater J, through the top of the latter, the

tube being provided at its end in the heater with a valve opening intothe same. In a similar manner the cylinder B connects at each end, bymeans of valves q, with a pipe, p, suspended below thecylinder, andwhich pipe 19 connects with a tube, y, extending toward the side of thereservoir D, in opposite direction to the tube 0, terminating in aconical rotary valve, 00, in the side of the reservoir, by means ofwhich valve the tube 3/ may be connected either with the interior of thereservoir D or with the open air through a channel, Z. On the outside ofthe reservoir the valveacis provided with a handle, 0:, by means ofwhich the valve may be operated. On the shaft U, just outside of one ofthe arms of the crank t, is keyed a beveled cog-wheel, I, which gearswith a larger beveled cog-wheel, H, at one end of a shaft, G, whichshaft, running parallel with the piston-rods (I f, passes through theend of the reservoir D, and extends into the valve-cham ber F, where itcarries at its end the rotary valve E. T his valve is provided with acentral diagonal channel, 4, which alternately connects at one end witha pipe, a, leading to the heater J, and at the other end with one or theother of two channels, b b, which alternately guide the hot airin frontor behind the piston U in the cylinder A. The valve E is also providedwith two grooves, 5 and 6, formed in opposite parts of the periphery ofthe valves, one of which connects alternately with the channels I) b inthe cylinderA, while the other connects with the exhaust -pipe S, whichextends upwardly into the top of a condenser, R, in which the pipe Sforms a serpentine coil, the lower end of which opens into the ieservoirD. A water-pump, L, operated from an eccentric, M, on the crank-shaft Uthrough a pump-rod, N, serves to fill the condenser R with water, a pipesuitably arranged near the top of the condenser allowing the water toflow off as fast as it is pumped in, in order that a constant stream ofwater may flow through the condenser. On the outside of the reservoir Dthe crank-shaft U carries a fiy-wheel, T.

The operation of my improved hot-air engine is as follows: Fire beingmade under the heater J, the air in the same is expanded until thedesired degree of pressure-say two or three atmospheres-is attained. Thepipe a, which connects the valve-chamber with the heater, is providedwith a stop-cock, which is now opened. The expanded air rushes inthrough the channels 4 and b, in front of the piston G, which is drivenforward, and operates the crank-shaft U, which latter, through thegearwheels I H, operates the shaft G, and changes the valve. Theexpanded air now rushes through channel I), behind the piston G, forcingit back, and the exhaust air passes off through one of the grooves 5 or6 into the exhaust-pipe S, and is, during its passage through thecondenser R, cooled and con-- densed, and enters the reservoir D. Duringthis operation, and until the reservoir D is completely filled withexhaust air, the valve to is turned so as to connect the suction-pipe yof the air-pump B with the outer air through suction-pipe 3 with theinterior of the resery voir D, from which moment the air in this reservoir, and consequently the same air, is used over and over again. canbe admitted at any time, if necessary, without interrupting theoperation of the engine for even a moment. To stop the engine, thesupply of hot compressed air is merely shut off by means of the stopcockin pipe c.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. In an air or gas engine, thereservoircy iniler D for the exhaust air, made to receive and inclosethe air-supply pump B and the driving-shaft U, and to support thepiston-cylinder and valve-chest in relation to the parts inclosed,substantially as described, and to obtain the advantages stated.

2. The combination, with an air or gas reservoir cylinder, D, whereinthe air-supply pump B and driving-shaft U are inclosed, and whichcarries at its end the working piston cylinder A and the rotary cut-ofi'valve E, of the valve-rod G, gearing H I, and drivingshaft U, wheninclosed within the reservoir D, substantially as described, and toobtain the benefits stated.

3. In combination with the cylinder A, the air-supply pump B, and thereservoir 1) of a hot-air engine, a condenser, 1%, arranged andoperating essentially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The hot-air or gas engine, consisting of the cylinder D, to supplythe air or gas, the pump B, pistoncylinder 0, rotary valve E, workingshaft U, valve-rod Gr, gearing H I, heater J, and condenser E. S, whenthese parts are constructed and arranged, for joint operation,substantially as described.

OTTO TROSSIN.

Witnesses:

0'r'ro SCHADE, ROBERT GOTTHEIL.

Supplies of fresh air

